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Democratic Wave Did Not Stop at California Border
Democrats Capture 6 of 8 State Offices--All Except Governor and Insurance Commissioner--Pick up Pombo Congressional Seat and Retain Big Edges in Legislature
By Frank D. Russo
When all the votes are counted, California remains as firmly in the control of Democrats as it was before the election.
Democratic candidates have won all of the state races with the exception of the Governor's race and that of the Insurance Commissioner. Democrat Debra Bowen beat appointed incumbent Bruce McPherson in the race for Secretary of State. Basically the Democrats swapped the Secretary of State position for that of the Insurance Commissioner. Whether or not only includes Democrat Jack O'Connell, who won re-election to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (a non partisan race), the Democrats have won the same number of state constitutional offices as before.
United States Senator Dianne Feinstein and newly elected Attorney General Jerry Brown won their offices by a slightly higher margin than Governor Schwarzenegger won his.
Democrats picked up one Congressional seat with the election of Jerry McNerney who beat 7 term Richard Pombo. They now have 34 of California's 53 seats in Congress and the Republicans only 19.
Democrats retain firm control of the legislature. In the Assembly, there are two races that are close enough that the remaining provisional ballots and uncounted day of election absentee ballots may affect the outcome. In the 80th Assembly District, which Bonnie Garcia is ahead by 1135 votes with all precints reporting, it appears she has narrowly retained her seat. Democrat Nicole Parra also appears to have retained her Assembly seat with 1530 votes to spare. Provisional ballots usually favor the Democrats by a fair margin and day of election ballots may favor the Republicans, but usually by slightly less margins. It is probable that neither of these races will result in these seats switching parties.
In the State Senate, Republican Lynn Daucher leads Democrat Lou Correa by 10 votes. Without knowing the numbers of provisional and absentee uncounted ballots, it is a coin toss who will win that Senate seat.
So it looks likely Democrats will continue to hold a 48 to 32 advantage in the 80 member Assembly and 24 or 25 Democratic State Senators in the 40 member upper house.
Comments
Keep a watchful eye on Rep. Pombo's future opportunities.
He's likely to resurface in affiliation with a group of casino gambling syndicators based out of Detroit and headed by Marian Ilitch -- She and her husband founded the Little Caesars Pizza franchise and own the Detroit Tigers Baseball Team and Red Wings Hockey Franchise. Ilitch arranged to take over controlling shares of Detroit's Motor City Casino in 2005 to help facilitate Kirk Kerkorian's (MGM Mirage) takeover of Mandaly Resorts Group. The Ilitch Clan and one of their operatives, Mike Malik, have been raising and contributing thousands to Pombo and his friends and causes the last two years. They hosted a $5,000 per person fundraiser for Pombo at the 2005 MLB All Star Game in Detroit and have flown him around in their private jets.
The Ilitch plan is to expand their gaming interests outside of Michigan; building a coast to coast empire of commerical and Indian gambling halls.
Among other projects, in 2005 they got Governor Schwarzenegger to buy into their plans for two Indian casinos (Big Lagoon and Los Coyotes Indian Tribes) to be developed in Barstow but failed to get concurrent legislative approval for the agreements in 2006.
The Ilitch organization has hired a circle of political advisors and lobbyists in California who are closely allied with Pombo, Congressman Doolittle and Tom McClintock and they've made significant political contributions to candidates and causes supported by Pombo and their consultants. The same team had previously assisted Ilitch in a failed bid to legalize gambling in Hawaii.
The Ilitch organization has invested too much money developing a relationship with Pombo to simply walk away from him at this point.
He would be a valuable partner in their attempts to syndicate new casinos or at the very least a connected and experienced advocate/lobbyist in Washington D.C., Albany or Sacramento.
Posted by: verifiable at November 8, 2006 05:50 AM
I'm trying to learn whether Proposition 85 in California was passed.
Did it win?
Was it voted in?
Posted by: Eddina at November 9, 2006 07:41 AM
Eddina: In another article we announced that Prop 85 had not passed by a margin of 53-47.
Posted by: Frank D. Russo at November 9, 2006 10:41 AM
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